Leadville airport director outlines hangar demand, runway upgrades and infrastructure costs

Josh Evans, airport director, told the Lake County Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 27 that the county‑owned Leadville airport (KLXV / LXV) has seen substantial recent capital investment, steady aviation testing use and growing private demand for hangar space — but expansion will require county investment in utilities and paving.

“I've been the airport director now for just about 4 years,” Evans said. He described major capital projects completed or under way: a new fixed‑base operator (FBO) facility and snow‑removal equipment building constructed about 2012; an 11,000‑square‑foot hangar completed with CDOT Aeronautics assistance; and a full runway, taxiway and ramp reconstruction funded by the Federal Aviation Administration that Evans said cost about $5.8 million. Evans said the county also recently seal‑coated and restriped the runway and that the pavement condition remained strong after reconstruction.

Why it matters: The airport generates operating revenue for the county through fuel sales, hangar leases and transient operations; additional hangars and more transient jet activity could materially increase fuel revenues and county receipts, but require upfront investment in utilities (sanitary sewer, three‑phase power, gas) and paved access that are currently limited.

Demand and business model: Evans said there is more demand for hangar space than supply and that operators from Aspen, Eagle and other mountain markets are looking for storage locations. He explained the county’s typical approach: offer ground leases (market rents established by a recent rent/lease study) for developers to build required hangars; at lease end, FAA grant assurances mean improvements can revert to county ownership. Evans said fuel sales — particularly jet fuel — are the airport’s primary revenue driver: he cited bulk purchase prices and local sale prices as illustrative of margins, and said that adding just a few transient jets could substantially raise annual fuel receipts. “If we had 2 of those jets a week, my fuel numbers would double,” he said.

Infrastructure and constraints: staff presented a rough cost estimate for sanitary sewer and utility extensions to serve an expanded hangar area; initial planning figures discussed a multi‑million‑dollar cost (roughly $3 million for sewer and related utility work in the presentation). Evans said FAA entitlement funding provides about $150,000 annually in federal entitlement funds to the airport; the county participates in FAA grant programs and a state match program through CDOT Aeronautics. He noted that FAA and CDOT rules affect eligible paving and airport improvements, and that pavement and access for hangars may require a county match or local funding for non‑eligible items.

Operations and community impacts: Evans said the airport is used for helicopter and fixed‑wing testing by manufacturers and for other specialized testing (unmanned systems, snowmobile and UTV testing), and that its high elevation draws industry users. He acknowledged occasional noise complaints but said the airport has limited residential development nearby and that most operations are compatible with county land‑use patterns. He described personnel and operating needs, including line‑service staffing and occasional dependence on interns.

Next steps: the county has engaged planning and engineering consultants (Kimley‑Horn; Mead & Hunt) to develop concept layouts and cost estimates for staged airport expansion. Evans said the county will likely issue requests for proposals (RFPs) for initial hangar parcels and recommended considering phased infrastructure investments with potential funding from ground leases, taxes or grants.

Ending: commissioners asked for further briefings on the hangar RFP process and infrastructure financing options; Evans said staff will return with more detailed concept plans and cost estimates.